This invention brings the excitement of trading securities on an exchange to an electronic game. A player is able to experience the excitement and unpredictability of electronic trading by condensing months, days or hours of trading activity into a relatively short amount of time. The game provides the player with a line chart that shows changes in value of one or more securities, such as stocks, commodities, options, bonds, futures, indexes, currencies and the like, over a period of time. A segmented line is plotted on the line chart during a round of play. This segmented line is composed of a plurality of points that are joined together by line segments, each point representing a randomly generated, hypothetical item price or value at a given point in time. A round of play begins when the player “buys”, and ends either when the player “sells”, or when the time period allotted for playing the round of play expires.
Where the invention is implemented on a video gaming machine for gambling purposes, this fast-paced and unpredictable game both maximizes the amount of revenue generated by the house, and maintains the game at a level challenging enough to keep the player interested.
Several stock market-related games have been devised which simulate investing in the stock market. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,489 provides an electronic stock market game that simulates buying and selling stock on a stock exchange. The player is provided with a display that presents a number of stocks, their current prices, dividends, and information relating to market factors that, inter alia, affect the price of the stocks. The player is also provided with a keyboard for initiating stock-related transactions such as buying, selling, placing puts, and the like.
Board games have also been devised which simulate investing in the stock market. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,886 provides a board game that is based on stock market concepts. A continuous path of variably colored spaces is depicted on the face of the board game, wherein the spaces have different meanings and applications to game play. As each player moves around the game board, they are given the opportunity to buy and sell stock and to draw cards which express events which cause the price of a specified stock to go up or down.
However, all of the previously devised stock market-related games have complex designs, as well as complicated rules, which are neither realistic nor extremely interesting. In addition, these games can complicate play with sophisticated concepts and transactions, which are geared more towards players with extensive prior knowledge and an understanding of the complexities of trading on an exchange. Furthermore, these previously devised games require a great deal of time to complete a single round of play, which is not conducive to a casino environment.
There is a constant need in the gaming industry for new games that keep players interested, and substantially reduce the possibility that players will cease playing and wagering or reduce the amount of play and wagering due to lack of interest or challenge.
Therefore, it is a first object of the present invention to provide an electronic game that captures the excitement of trading securities or other financial instruments, currencies or commodities on an exchange.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a market-related electronic game that is easy to play, and requires a minimal knowledge of the workings of an exchange.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide a financial market-related game that can be implemented on a video gaming machine in a casino for gambling purposes.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a financial market-related electronic game that provides a player with a line chart that shows changes in trading patterns of one or more securities, such as stocks, commodities, options, currencies, and the like, over a period of time.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a financial market-related electronic game having a line chart that includes a plurality of special event icons which, when intersected by a segmented line plotted on the line chart, affect the price or value of the security, commodity or currency or reward the player with a bonus round of play.